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With legal issues preventing middleweight contender Chris Leben from being able to prepare sufficiently for a June 7th bout with Michael Bisping in London, England, Canada’s Jason ‘Dooms’ Day has stepped in to face ‘The Count’ in a featured bout on the UFC 85: Bedlam card at the O2 Arena.

I just couldn't understand why he was playing kickboxer. It was ridiculous. Only Frank could tell you what Frank was thinking. I'm not going to make any disparaging remarks towards him because he flew me out there and everything to train with him, but honestly, I didn't see that being what the gameplan was initially," stated MMA veteran Shonie Carter as he weighed in on Frank Shamrock's loss to Cung Le. Check out what else he had to say as Carter, who helped Shamrock train for the fight, talks about a potential rematch between the two and shares some advice for any young fighter who may be cut by or looking to get in with the UFC.

Chris Lytle recently shared his thoughts on his next fight, to be against Josh Koscheck at UFC 86. Lytle hopes that Kos doesn't fight like Matt Hughes did against Lytle in their last fight, where Lytle was on his back defending against submissions the whole fight.

Or guys like him, at least. In a recent interview, Dana put "The Axe Murderer" over and indicated that it won't matter if he keeps losing (Wandy's lost 3 straight overall) because he always puts on a show for the fans.

On Thursday's edition of the TAGG Radio program, Jens Pulver, facing WEC Featherweight Champion Urijah Faber on June 1 in perhaps the promotion's biggest fight ever, says it's no doubt "the biggest fight of my career". He also expects over 10,000 fans to be solidly against him and behind Faber.

After being released from his UFC contract following 2 straight losses, Zuffa has now re-signed TUF 6 runner-up Tommy Speer and will send him to WEC. Speer says the current plan is for his WEC debut to be in August.

It's getting harder and harder to talk about Kimbo Slice, though it's not from a lack of trying. It seems like everybody has an opinion on the Internet-brawler-turned-pro-fighter.
Either he's the worst thing to happen to the sport of mixed martial arts, or he's the next big superstar.

Hardcore Championship Fighting is officially out of business, CEO Keith Crawford has informed Sherdog.com.
The news comes after a period of great optimism for the Canadian organization. HCF was expected to announce this week that it had been purchased -- a move that Crawford hoped would put the promotion among the few legitimately vying for the No. 2 spot behind the UFC.

THE GREAT FIGHT NORTH
News and Notes from Canada
John Alessio may have lost more than a match when he was disqualified against Brock Larson at WEC 33 in March.
The fight with Larson was the last on Alessio’s contract, and, according to the Canadian veteran, negotiations with the Zuffa LLC-owned organization have stalled, prompting him to consider offers from other promotions.
“I’m actually wondering myself what’s going on,” Alessio said. “I figured I would have heard something by now. They offered me the rematch with Larson, but it’s now up to my manager to negotiate. It’s going to come down to money and if they want to sign me long-term or not.”
Also features The Crow, Sam Stout & others

TITO’S LAST STAND
Former Champion Ortiz Blames UFC President for Pending Separation
By Brian Knapp (bknapp@thefightnetwork.com)
The rift between UFC president Dana White and former light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz appears to have passed the point of no return.
The 33-year-old Ortiz will fulfill the final bout on his current contract with the Las Vegas-based promotion when he faces unbeaten Lyoto Machida at UFC 84: Ill Will on Saturday, May 24 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Afterwards, he plans to walk away from the organization that gave rise to his stardom. The blame for the pending separation, he says, rests at White’s feet.
“I think just about 90 percent of this is me just wanting to get away from Dana White,” Ortiz told Live Audio Wrestling’s Dan Lovranski. “He has a vengeance for me. He’s a person who’s very hateful towards me, and he doesn’t want to see me grow as a superstar. He’s always been like that. He’s always been trying to hold me down and not let me go further, and it’s just really sad to see.”

During a media conference call on Thursday, International Fight League CEO Jay Larkin confirmed rumors that the organization is actively shopping the promotion for new investors and could even possibly sell the company.
“Are we actively looking for a partner or a sale? The answer is, yes,” Larkin stated on the call. “We entertain phone calls and questions almost on a daily basis from potential investors, potential buyers, people who want to get in the MMA business, people who are already in the MMA business.”
The news comes just prior to the organization’s May 16 event, which will take place at the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut. The promotion will then go on a brief hiatus until its August 15 event, which will feature a newly designed hexagon-shaped ring dubbed “The Hex.”

Earlier this week we passed along the results of our most recent MMAjunkie.com/"Inside MMA" poll: "Which discipline is the most essential foundation in modern mixed martial arts?"
As you may remember, jiu jitsu got 43 percent of the votes, wrestling got 42 percent, and striking came a distant third at 15 percent.
"Inside MMA" host and longtime MMA fighter Bas Rutten was surprised by the results and explains his choice in this discussion clip.
As it turns out, Rutten thinks wrestling would be the most essential discipline when it comes to success in MMA.......

One of the classic symptoms of an aged, or aging, fighter is seeing openings and being unable to take advantage of them.
It's no different than a running back who once could burst through a hole for a 15-yard gain when he ran a 4.4 40, but who now runs a 4.65 and can't hit it quick enough to get more than three yards before the pile collapses upon him.
And what Matt Hughes was describing as a problem in his loss to Georges St. Pierre in December sounded suspiciously like a man losing the battle with time. But the two-time former UFC welterweight champion, who saved the UFC yet again when he agreed on short notice to fight Thiago Alves in the main event of UFC 85 in London on June 7, insists he's far from through.

On May 31st EliteXC will do something that no other MMA company has done in North America when it airs the first ever live MMA card to be broadcast on network television. The main event of the evening will be Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson goes up against James Thompson in a heavyweight tilt. MMANews.com's own Chris Howie had the chance to speak with Kimbo in depth recently on a number of topics. Below is a transcript of that interview.

topics covered:
Gesias “JZ” Calvancante And The Dream Grand Prix
Din Thomas Released From UFC; WEC Bound?
July 5 Event Could Be Called UFC: ATT
Other News & Notes from American Top Team:
Match-ups featuring American Top Team fighters:

Debi Purcell will return to mixed martial arts action against Carina Damm on June 27.
Purcell's Fightergirls.com website announced the fight and also revealed that she has signed a 3-fight deal with EliteXC.
Purcell (4-1) began her professional fight career in September 2001 and last competed in February 2006. She assisted Marco Ruas on the coaching staff of the Southern California Condors in the IFL.
Damm (9-3) of Brazil will enter the fight with a four-fight winning streak. The "Beauty But The Beast" appeared on three separate Bodog Fight events the last two years.

Jose “Pele” Landi has been recovering speedily from one of the ugliest injuries ever seen in MMA, and is already venturing some light training. “I’m training light in Jiu-Jitsu and boxing, but I’m limited due to this serious injury. I think my recovery has been coming along well, but I have to be careful. It’s still recent, only two months now, but I think in one month I’ll be able to fight again,” he declared to GRACIEMAG.com.
The muay thai ace, and one of the first big names in the sport in Brazil, suffered two fractures at once in his leg in a fight in the Canadian event TKO against Brian Gassaway in February of last year. The accident came about as a result of the wear from many years of training. Born in Cuba, but growing up in Brazil, Pele does not yet have a date to return to the ring, but the moment he suffered the injury has still not left his head.
“You could see I actually broke it before kicking. You can see right after the second round begins I did a front kick that didn’t connect and then when I put my foot down the peronio was already broken, then after that my tibia breaks,” he recalls.
Considering the final result unfair, the fighter already has it in his head what he wants as his career unfolds: revenge. “I wanted it considered a No Contest and them to grant me a revenge match. He (Brian Gassaway) was losing. I hope TKO re-watches the fight and does what’s right. I think if the referee had seen it he wouldn’t give my opponent the win,” he said in closing.